Stay Calm
by Hot4Gaara and Kakashi
Summary: Would she really accept? Is she really THAT strange? No... Breathe... Stay calm and just ask her out.


Disclaimer: I don't own anything….

'She's so beautiful,' Neville Longbottom thought to himself. 'How could _I _possibly approach _her_?!'

A giant, rough hand slapped Neville on the back to jar him out of his reverie. "Blimey, Neville! Are you still on about her? You better wipe that drool off of your chin before she thinks you're a loon! Not that she doesn't already… You stare at her too much… Really weird actually," Ron said to his smitten friend.

Neville glared at him as best he could, which was really difficult since he wasn't well practiced in the art of glaring. Plus, he was still inebriated with thoughts of Luna Lovegood. Yes, THE Luna Lovegood.

It was actually surprising that Ron had mentioned Neville being the 'loon' since his normal route of teasing involved constantly alerting Neville to the fact that Luna was the crazy one. One of his favorite jabs was actually taunting Neville with the prospect that if Neville ever did actually pluck up the courage to ask Luna on a date, and said dame ever did actually accept, then the two would surely spend the entire evening hunting for the elusive wrackspurts that the girl went on about.

The two men were currently eating lunch in the Great Hall at Hogwarts.

After the war, Neville had gotten his mastery in Herbology and taken a teaching position at Hogwarts. Ron, however, did not join the staff for another six years. It was after an accident during his professional quidditch occupation that Ron decided to try his hand at teaching a flying class to the incoming first years at Hogwarts.

Luna Lovegood was also a former student to return to the beloved castle. Professor Trelawney had finally decided to retire last year, leaving Hogwarts without a Divination teacher. Though Luna did have to take a hiatus on her scavenge across Europe for the Floptoppering Flipperdees, she was all too happy to become a part of the Hogwarts family again.

Neville was also all too happy that Luna was closer. He had been good friends with her since the end of the final battle, but his very un-Gryffindor-like cowardice kept the relationship from progressing any farther.

He simply could not find a way to ask her on a date… He wasn't sure how Luna, being the _unique _woman that she is, would take to being asked to dinner. Did she even call that meal dinner? Maybe she preferred to refer to it as some other strange term that indicated she was a tad stray from the norm.

Oh yes! That would go over just _FINE_! 'Hey Luna, want to get together and eat dinner, if you even call it that, in Hogsmead?' … 'Why, Neville, only if you promise to help me find Floptoppering Flipperdees!'

He really shouldn't get ahead of himself like that; Luna wasn't that odd. Well, ignoring the Floptopper whatever part. That part was Very real, and he couldn't possibly forget it with Ron constantly bringing it up. Why was he friends with him again? ... And hadn't Luna referred to dinner as 'dinner' ever since he had known her? Of course she had, idiot! Ron was putting absolutely absurd ideas in his head…

Not that Ron is a bad guy, but if you are in want of encouragement and support, Harry and Hermione are a much better bet for those departments. Too bad they are on some anniversary trip. They didn't even tell anyone where they were going! Just some bogus letter left on the door reading:

"_Harry and Hermione Potter will not be in for a few days… Or weeks. We are on our fifth year anniversary trip! Have fun putting up with Ron, Neville!" ;)_

It was in Hermione's handwriting. The little chit even had the gall to draw a smiley/winky face on the letter. She knew I'd be the one to find the stupid piece of paper…. It wasn't even their anniversary for another five bleeding months!

Maybe they weren't all that supportive if they were going to leave him alone with Ron and no way to contact them.

Nasty buggers…

Putting all of those thoughts aside, Neville was back to wondering how he could convince the lovely Luna to go out to dinner with him while Ron shoved food down his throat. 'Would it really be that hard?' Neville asked himself. 'The only reason I have made this seem so hard is because I assume her odd mannerisms will get in the way.'

In fact, Neville had been on his way to ask her out within the first week of the start of term when Ron intercepted him. Ron had guessed where Neville was going (he was occasionally perceptive) and had in a very blunt manner reminded Neville that Luna was… different.

"Listen mate, she's not going to accept some normal dinner proposition. You've got to change the wavelength you're on and ask her to do something that is equally as crazy as she is," Ron said as he walked off laughing.

The seed of doubt had been planted in Neville's mind until it grew into a large whomping willow of doubt. Ron had teased him to the point that he couldn't think straight.

Wait. A. Minute.

'Are you serious?' Neville thought to himself. 'You are letting RON dictate YOUR interactions?'

Nuh uh! No…. No. This was definitely NOT going to happen.

Neville had decided then and there that he was going to march up to Luna Lovegood after dinner and ask her to, well, dinner! He would no longer let Ron rule his judgment.

Neville was a Gryffindor and he swore by Merlin that the Sorting Hat was right about him.

Luna Lovegood, get ready. Neville Longbottom is about to ask YOU on a date!

Neville was walking purposefully towards Luna after she had finished her meal, but as he approached her his feet faltered. 'What if she really didn't want to go to dinner? What if that wasn't her style? What if she really is as wacko (Ron's word not mine) as Ron believes her to be? Can I handle an evening of hunting imaginary creatures to gain her affections? Or worse, what if she just doesn't want to have dinner _with me_?'

Neville still pushed on. 'Deep breaths Neville, DEEP breaths,' he thought.

When he got to Luna, he was still so focused on breathing that he didn't notice her expectant stare. "Neville, is there a thought floating around in your mind that you wish to release?" she asked.

'Stay cool, stay cool, stay cool. Crap! She's looking at me! What do I say?' Neville thought frantically. 'Now or never, man!'

"Luna, would you like to look for wrackspurts Saturday evening with me?"

'There, that wasn't so bad. Wait. What? Wrackspurts? You idiot! You were supposed to ask her to dinner! I'm going to kill Ron," Neville thought.

Since he had asked, Neville decided to stay for the response. Luna slowly stood up and raised a quizzical brow at him. As she pushed her chair back in under the table, she began to smirk. Not an evil Malfoy smirk, but a coy devious smirk.

"Why Neville, I really would Love to, but I don't like to do such activities on an empty stomach. How about we have dinner together first?" she responded. Her smirk had turned into a full-blown grin by this point.

Neville's first thought was to jump for joy as he said "I'll pick you up in the Great Hall at six Saturday night." His second thought occurred as Luna was walking away. Luna was way more normal than Ron gave her credit for. Then there was a third thought. Luna had just asked him to dinner, not the other way around.

Neville smacked himself on the forehead as several third years walked by and giggled at his actions.

-000000000-

_Three Years Later_

Neville was not a happy Gryffindor. Here he was standing outside of Harry and Hermione's house faced with a silly note charmed to their front door.

_Dear Neville, _

_So sorry to leave you with Ronald again. Harry and I are currently on our eighth year anniversary trip! The children have been left with my parents, and, of course, Ron has been left with you__, which means everything is in order. Don't forget to feed Ron at least five times a day! ;) Oh, and good luck with your proposal to Luna. Remember, don't listen to Ron. Luna will accept a simply asked question of "Will You Marry Me?"… Promise! _

_I thought I would add more to this letter since you are always complaining about how Harry and I always leave without any notice. You also complained about how we never divulge our location. Too. Bad. I refuse to give any secrets away. If I did, we would end up babysitting Ron because he would want to go. I do, however, promise to watch Ron when you and Luna go on trips ;)_

_Have a fun few days (weeks) without us! I promise to be back in time for the wedding. _

_Though we leave you alone with Ron often, we do love you!_

_~ Hermione and Harry Potter _

"At least it was a longer note," Neville sighed. Not that it mattered. Hermione still hadn't given him any information, and the chit still had the gall to give him smiley/winky faces.

Harry and Hermione were timeless; always running around like children and taking vacations and having fun. Harry certainly deserved it, but it put a strain on Neville to have to put up with Ron's personality.

'Oh well,' Neville thought. Hermione had left some form of encouragement in her letter though, which boosted Neville's confidence the teeniest bit. He REALLY needed to stop listening to one Ronald Weasley…

Neville was determined to make sure that when he asked Luna to marry him he wouldn't make a fool of himself like he did before their first date. Luna still teased him about and Ron certainly wouldn't let it go once he found out. 'It's not like I could help it,' Neville pondered. 'I get really nervous sometimes and can't control what comes out of my mouth!'

Neville decided right then that he wasn't going to go have that 'pepper up drink' with Ron before he went to ask Luna to marry him. Ron would probably put something wonky in his drink anyway that would inhibit him even more than the alcohol. Not to mention, Ron would surely talk him into something stupid like "Luna, will you marry me? I promise to find an imaginary creature and name it after you if you do!"

Neville shook his head. Nope. He was going right now.

He was going to sweep Luna Lovegood off her feet and ask her to become Mrs. Neville Longbottom…

…..

Ron sat at the bar all alone. 'Where was Neville,' he pondered. 'He was supposed to be here an hour ago.'

He sighed. Neville had probably finally gotten the guts to go on ahead and ask the girl, which meant Ron's fun for the night had been eliminated. 'I'm a lot smarter than these people give me credit for,' Ron smiled to himself.

"Yes sir," Ron said aloud. "Ron Weasley is one smart cookie." He was actually very perceptive of Neville's thoughts and actions. While most would think Neville was off hiding from situation, Ron simply knew that Neville was currently asking Luna to be his wife.

And though he gave Neville a hard time about Luna, he was sure that Luna would accept him even if Neville did screw up the proposal.


End file.
